Our Last Goodbye OLD
by mjhsucks
Summary: THIS IS OLD. 10 years had passed since the mane six have defeated Discord. What's happened in those 10 years, and while others grow old, others grow up. How will Twilight say her last goodbye?


**A/N: THIS IS SO VERY OLD.**

**WHY AM I SUBMITTING THIS. Because I deleted my EEnE stories...I wasn't planning on finishing them...I'm gonna do just one-shots for a while. I didn't want this completely empty, so I put this old thing in.**

**Warning: Emoshuns**

* * *

It had been so long. So very, very, long. 10 years. For 10 years, she had been a hero. She had defeated Discord with her friends, she beat Nightmare Moon, she was Celestia's student. For 10 years, she had been Twilight Sparkle.

But all heroes dim from one's mind.

Ponyville wasn't dark and gloomy as you expected. Everything was normal, and if not beautiful. Ponies, once fillies and colts, earned their cutie marks and were helping around Ponyville, maybe even Equestria. New tiny foals trotted around the town, always wanting their cute marks. Always wanted time to pass. Always wanting to grow up. The gang had done some growing up as well.

Rainbow Dash finally achieved what she had always dreamed of. She was part of the WonderBolts, now named Lightning Strike. She had gotten the notice one day while looking through her mail. She was overjoyed, and bragged to everypony she could find. She had said that the WonderBolts had stated that after many encounters and viewing absolutely stunning performances, in 3 weeks, her suit would come in, and her meeting was next month. At first, her friends were elated. Pinkie Pie, joyful as always, threw a giant party. Everypony soon got the news, and there was a major celebration that even Celestia herself attended for a short time. After the celebration, however, the WonderBlots was all Rainbow Dash could think of. She never changed the subject, nor got the drift when her friends inched toward another subject. Pinkie Pie always supported her, however. She was Rainbow's true friend, and followed her around, almost like a pet. 2 weeks had past and she still bragged continually about how she was going to be the best flyer in Equestria, "If I already wasn't!" she'd remark. However, Pinkie left her side as well, and all she could talk to was the picture on her desk. It had the WonderBolts flying and doing stunts, in a amazingly captured picture. The day when Rainbow got her uniform and was off to her first meeting, she went to find her friends. But there were none there. They had grown weary of Rainbow's bragging, sure, but to abandon her completely? Rainbow Dash left that day, teary eyed, and never came back. Now she has retired, her middle age catching up to her. She refused to answer to Rainbow Dash. She would, and always would be, Lightning Strike. She had been the leader, she had been given that name. She never went back to Cloudsdale either. All the pegasi there weren't enough for her. She had to be with real pegasi. She was middle aged, worn down. But by Celestia, she was the best.

Other ponies never seemed to realize that.

Pinkie Pie mourned Rainbow's loss. She never left SugarCube Corner for days. The days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months. Her friends tried to contact her through Mr. and Mrs. Cake, but they simply said that she 'wasn't home' or 'off on an errand'. The girls didn't know who she was trying to fool. They had all known how Pinkie had felt about Rainbow leaving. She was hysterical, and for a while, she just pushed away the fact that her best friend was gone. Before a week of her disappearance, she had thrown one of the biggest parties she had ever thrown. No one knew the theme of the party, and just shrugged it off as Pinkie's randomness. But the party was too big for no theme. She had invited every single pony she could find, even tourists who were merely staying over the night. She seemed too cheerful, almost to a point where it was clear she was forcing it. Her hair was too puffy and too tangled, and the party peroration was poor. Everything had been unorganized, and the little things, the streamers, the confetti, the sweets, weren't there. The only ponies who really noticed where her friends, and possibly the ponies who have lived there for a while. It was forced enthusiasm. She was forcing the bad memory from her mind. After the party, Pinkie had disappeared in, what people have heard, the basement of SugarCube Corner. One day, the girls agreed to sneak into SugarCube Corner. Mr. and Mrs. Cake had gone out to get supplies, and had locked the door. Twilight used her magic to open the windows and the girls snuck in. They were sure she was somewhere in here, where else would she go? AppleJack had heard music, no, three tracks playing at once, in the basement. One sounded classical, one a rock song, another Singing. The girls rushed to the basement, and screamed at what they saw. The basement was bright pink, streamers covered and every inch of the floor, and confetti covered the thin, pale, and lifeless Pinkie Pie. Her ribs were clearly showing, dark rings around her eyes. Her eyes were wide open, as if they were forever glued open. Her mouth was curled into a wicked grin. The singing they had heard was her songs that she had sung throughout their friendship, forever playing over and over again. Her fur and mane were matted from lack of hygiene, and it seemed she had been dead for days. She was forever partying.

Fluttershy had been looking after animals for her whole life, so she wasn't surprised when Canterlot gave her notices about asking her to be a veterinarian. Fluttershy had grown cautious and paranoid since Pinkie's death, and instead of cowering, she was ready to fight back. Whoever wanted to hurt her friends or herself, they could go for it, and it would not end well. She had visited AppleJack, teaching her how to defend herself by bucking. She spent all day learning how to buck, only coming home to take care of her animals. She didn't visit the other ponies much anymore, not even Rarity. Although, with 'Lightning Strike' gone, she had no one to teach her the best way to fly. She still had a pegasus friend, but Ditzy Doo was too...derpy. Soon she gave up on learning how to fly correctly, and isolated herself in her home. She never was as isolated as Pinkie, but she rarely came out. Rarity, missing her good friend, she attempted to visit her. As she knocked, the door was bucked open, nearly smashing into Rarity. Fluttershy had seemed brainwashed. Everyone was out to get her. And her friends. Even if Pinkie died on her own time, someone _had_ to be responsible. Someone always was. That's how it worked. Flutterhy recognized her old friend, but even with Rarity, her now bloodshot eyes darted to watch her every move. They had a fairly serious tea party. All of the animals had doubled, and had loved Fluttershy even more than usual. With all the extra attention, and since Fluttershy seemed to go back to her old self around them, they adored their mother ever more so. As they sat, Fluttershy went off to tend to her animals. Rarity waited, she was patient. But it had been an hour. She understood that Fluttershy must haves eons of animals, but Rarity was her guest, and she should treat her like one. Her haughty nature getting the best of her, she walked to where Fluttershy was tending to her rabbit, Angel. Fluttershy seemed to be lost her task of feeding the stubborn bunny. Rarity waited behind her for a while, hoping that she noticed her at least. Finally, she coughed. Fluttershy snapped. She had clearly not sensed Rarity coming, and bucked furiously. Rarity was able to dodge, and with a terrified yelp, she backed away. Fluttershy tuned out, her eyes filled with hatred. She kept calling Rarity a murder, and kept bucking. Rarity tried to reason with her, but it was no use. Fluttershy had backed up Rarity into a corner. All Rarity could do was teleport. She never went back. Eventullay, Fluttershy left Ponyvile with her hundreds of animals to Canterlot.

Rarity was confused by Fluttershy's strange actions. They were best friends, the perfect match. Why was she a murderer? Why would she accuse her? For days she kept thinking about it, more confused than miserable. One day, she sat on a chair, looking at a French design Fluttershy had given her. Then it hit her like the bucking she almost received a week ago. Whenever the gang was together, and there was a problem, someone or something was to blame. That's how it worked. There's a problem, and someone other than the victim was to blame. But since Pinkie Pie had died on her own, Fluttershy couldn't help but make conclusions. Since no one knew how Pinkie died, anypony could have been the 'problem'. She had just happened to get in the way. She felt a cold pang in her heart. She felt sorry for her once shy friend. She couldn't comprehend these feelings. Rarity looked at her design, and decided to make it just for her. The dress was a major hit. So big, in fact, that Rarity's name was popular among Ponyvile. Rarity's dream had come true. Or at a start, at least. She kept making more designs, and soon, she was popular among Equestria. Rarity's greed had started to set in. She bought finer materials, and the dresses, or even copies of the dress, were sky-high prices. She was always in her shop, followed by paporatzis. She'd always make free dresses for her friends, but eventually, even she was giving them prices. Fine materials and silks weren't enough. She needed.._Natural_ items. Fluttershy was gone, so why should anypony else care? She started using animal skins, and even kept them in closets as her 'stock'. Ponies caught on to her strategy, and many ponies stopped using her products, while many haughty ponies of extreme fashion bought her dresses. Her prices went up even higher, and her friends weren't allowed to be made special dresses anymore. Either buy, or leave. She had moved away by now, in Fillydelfia, where her friends hardly got any sight of her. One day, AppleJack had informed Twilight that Rarity was in court, pressed with charges of illegally buying supplies. Skinning animals was bad enough, but she went out to the black market regularly to buy exotic animal skins. A professional designer had bought her work, and noticed. AppleJack and Twilight droned on for days, hoping, even though Rarity had turned into a snob of a friend, she would be let go. Their heart sunk when they read the paper. 'Fashonista Rarity charged guilty of buying illegal materials'. She was sent to prison of 5 years. She was lucky, that was the least she could get.

The only pony that stayed true to her heart was AppleJack. Twilight couldn't talk to her much. She was always studying, AJ was always bucking; they never had time for each other. Ten long years had passed since the disappearance of her best friends in the world. Depression was heavy upon them, and even though the other ponies felt their loss as well, they would get over it. They couldn't.

'_Ten long, dreadful years,_" Twilight thought, '_of this emptiness...And now..._' Tears formed in her eyes. This was by far, the most difficult thing she had ever done. No after pain or ache from a spell, loss of a friend, or even a death of a friend could come over this regurgitating feeling. Twilight was older now, into her early thirties. She had gained a little bit of wait, the very earliest signs of wrinkles on her face showing. She had grown wiser, however. Much wiser. And more emotionally stable; the lesson of friendship helped her with that. Spike was a full grown dragon now. Dragon aging had been confusing for Twilight. Normal dragons took eons and eons to age. But it only took Spike 20 years to mature. But now that he was an adult, he'd live for nearly 100,000 years. What was odd is that he was about as twice as high as Twilight, very small for a dragon.

But too big for the tree house.

It was midnight, and Twilight couldn't hold it. She had to do what had to be done, no matter how hard it was. She shakily stood up, her former youth failing her. She breathed slightly heavier, she waddled instead of trekked. Sleepiness make her walk drunkenly outside. A purple dragon with razor sharp spines was curled up next to the tree house, snoozing away, just as he did as a child. Twilight sighed. '_You can do this, Twilight Sparkle. Don't let him know til the very end. Make your last few moments together...Happy._' Those words were a mystery now. She had been amused, content. But real joy was gone now, a barren, untold place that was rotten with unused. Her horn glowed, and with no trouble at all, she used her magic to pinch the dragon awake. Spike twitched, then rose slowly, letting a huge yawn escape his mouth.

"Twi...It's morning already..?" His shining green eyes shoot to the moon.

"Sorry, Spike. But I need you to do a fav-" She caught herself in her sentence. Her voice was cracking. 'i By Celestia, why is this so hard?/i'

Spike looked worriedly at his pony-mother. "You alright?"

"Yes, just some allergies." She forced a weak smile. I want to do something special. Something we can only do now."

"It can't wait til morning?" Spike rubbed his claws on his huge eye.

Twilight wanted to look away, but looked at him straight in the eye. "It'd be better if we did it now."

Spike noted her seriousness. "Yes ma'am." He streched for a bit, and saw Twilight go into the tree house. "Where ya going?"

"Oh, just to get a book. You know how I am. A study-a-holic." She turned to him with an oddly warm smile. "You know where the beach is?"

"Yes."

"Meet me there. By the shore." She went into her house.

Twilight saw Spike cautiously putting his claws in the water. He was a fire based dragon, and he couldn't do well in sea water. She chuckled at the sight, and memories flooded back to where she could cradle the little baby dragon, scrubbing him in the bathtub, despite his loud, squeaky protests. She gave out an inaudible sigh, and clopped slowly over to the dragon. "Isn't it beautiful?" She mused.

"Yeah. It is. Is this why we're here? We could've just watched the sunrise." He grew slightly impatient. Twilight normally would have shushed him, but she didn't want to scold the young adult. She wanted every last moment to be filled with love. Love for her son.

"No, Spike." She hoarsely whispered and looked up as his handsome face. He really wasn't catching on. Good. "I want you to know...That I love you."

Spike's head jerked. Twilight normally didn't say things like this. He knew that he had a son-mother relationship or a brother-sister, but it was rare for Twilight to get so sentimental. He didn't complain. It felt good. It felt..Heart-warming, almost. "You..Do?" He asked dumbly. Of course, he knew the answer.

Twilight had a visible tear on her face, and laughed. "Yes, silly. Why would I lie to my number on-...Baby."

Spike wanted to feel creeped out. Were they just here to get sentimental? Because whatever Twilight was doing, it was working. His heart just got warmer and warmer, until a lump was at his throat. "T-Thanks..."

There was an awkward pause, but the seemly elderly Twilight just gazed into the moonlight. Finally, in a hushed tone, "Spike."

"Yes?"

"Do you like having me as a mother? Did I...Let you live the life you expected...At least a little?"

Spike gawked at the question. Of course he did, he loved Twilight. Sure, he could have Rarity, maybe even a mother dragon...But she was the only one for him. "Of course..We had so much fun...A-And you're really..." He felt something warm on his cheek. A tear. "...Nice to me..." He put a claw on the single tear. He was really beginning to worry about Twilight, and his own feelings.

She grinned, her face lit up with joy, yet with tears wetting her face. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that..." She sighed happily, content.

Spike sat there with his mother, content as well. All the memories of being a baby dragon rushed back to him. Back when they first moved to Ponyvile, when he had a crush on that elegant pony, Rarity. When Zecora cursed the girls, when the Great and Powerful Trixie arrived, and even back to when he thought he was being replaced by Owlisous. But he knew now that she was never going to replace him. She loved him. He face was flooded with tears, and he stopped trying to hide them. Whatever this was, he didn't want it to end. He wanted to be a hatching again, snug in Twilight's flank. He wanted everything back to the way it was.

"Which is why," Twilight interrupted his thoughts with a shaky, heart-broken voice, "this is so much harder for me to do..." She looked up into his eyes. Spike was confused at first, but his eyes slowly widened.

"N-No.." He choked through tears. "No, Twilight. No! You can't do this! You can't! Not now! I-"

"Hush." She whispered with affection. She used her magic to levitate the book she had next to her. It was a very thin black book. She opened it, read it over, and closed it. "Don't make this harder on us. I love you Spike, and even though you loved living this life, you'll love living the life of a-"

"No!" His newly found emotions took over. "I _can't_ go! I need to be with you!" His lump in his throat was unbearable, and he sobbed. "I need to be with you! I'm scared!"

Twilight, throughout all of this, remained somewhat calm. "Please..." She whispered silently. "Go...I can't have you here. Think of the positives."

"_What_ pos-" It hit him. He didn't have to go very far. By Celestia, he could visit her. "I could visit you! I could visit everyday, it'd just be me living father away!" He nearly shrieked with joy, only to get a choked reaction from his mother.

"I don't think you understand...You need to live the dragon life. You can't come visit me. Spike, you are a dragon, and you need to act like one." Her voice hardened.

"B-"

"Do you understand?" She threw the words at her destroyed son.

"...Yes." He sighed hopelessly sobbing. He was scared, confused, and the last spark of hope died in him. It was over. No more letters send, no more chores, no more praise, no more snuggles, no more pony life. He was a dragon. '_I am a dragon..._' He let the thought swirl in his mind. He was a dragon, but he was now a dragon on the inside.

They sat together, it was only moments, but it seemed to last forever. The moonlight shone brightly, and the black waves rushed up at Twilight's hooves and Spike's claws. "Do you remember a lullaby?"

"A lullaby...?" He sniffed his way through tears. "You never sang me a lullaby."

"I did." She patted the book next to her. "Not often, but every once in a while. You loved it. You loved my voice." She paused, staring at the book. "Care to listen, one last time?"

Spike wanted to explode on her. First, she destroyed him mentally, and was giving him up, then getting him more wrecked by singing him a lullaby? He couldn't help but sigh however. These were the last moments together. Might as well.

Twilgiht didn't let him respond. Her horn levitated the book and she opened the pages. There were no pictures like a regular lullaby book. And it seemed hoof-written. She calmed herself, and in a beautiful yet gentle voice, she sang:

'_Now my sleeply jewel,_  
_Lay down your sleepy head,_'

Spike recognized the song, and memories flooded back again. He was merely an infant, and he was scared and cold, mainly hungry. She'd sing this to him over and over, until he fell asleep to the gentle voice.

'_And snuggle in your bed, as the day nears its end_

_Twists and traces you,_  
_Leave behind the yesterday,_  
_But don't forget the memories, we shared that day._'

The lyrics seemed so clear now. Was she planning this exact moment for her whole life? It was about him leaving, and she slyly turned it into a lullaby. Tears welled up again, as he hummed along.

'_Spread your giant wings,_  
_Fly in the cold midnight,_  
_And I'll be waiting here, until you rise again._

_I know that that no one can hurt you,_  
_When you're fast asleep._  
_I know you can't see me,_  
_But someday, we'll meet again._  
_In a place where the sunlight,_  
_Touches both of us._  
_And on that glorious day,_  
_We will meet again._

_...Now, my precious gem,_  
_Lay down your sleepy head._  
_And I promise that we will..._'

She broke off, but Spike finished.

'_Somehow meet again._'

New tears formed in his eyes, but not ones of despair, ones of hope. He looked at the moon, shining down on them. "Twilight." He simply said. She looked up at him. "I know what I have to do." He stated with great confidence. With a great effort, he spread his wings, only getting a sob out of Twilight. He took a claw and pulled her tiny face to his muzzle. "Twilight." He stared deep into her eyes. "One day, somehow, we'll meet again. Maybe not in Equestria...But somewhere. We _will_ meet again."

Twilight's eyes beamed with happiness, and she kisses his nose. "Go on, and live the life you were supposed to. I've got AppleJack to spend my life with."

Spike smiled, knowing where she was getting at. "And I'll find someone of my own kind." He let got on her and was about to fly off. "I love you...Mother."

Before she could react, Spike lifted himself off the ground, and flew into the moonlight. Twilight ran after him until her legs were soaked in the black, cold, sea water. "Goodbye Spike! I love you!" She screamed, tears down her face. "I LOVE YOU!


End file.
